How long is the coastline of Britain? What is a rhombicuboctahedron? Which US president proved Pythagoras’s theorem? These and many other intriguing questions will be addressed in this lecture on renowned mathematical equations and their history. The selected equations span various areas of mathematics and cover a timeline of 4000 years, from early geometry to fractal art.

This lecture was recorded by Robin Wilson on the 4th of June 2025 at Barnard's Inn Hall, London.

Professor Robin Wilson is Emeritus Gresham Professor of Geometry, Emeritus Professor of Pure Mathematics at the Open University, and a former Fellow of Keble College, Oxford University. He has also regularly taught as a guest Professor at The Colorado College, USA, which awarded him an honorary doctorate in mathematics in 2023.

The transcript of the lecture is available from the Gresham College website: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/sum-stories

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Sum Stories: Equations and their Origins - Robin Wilson